


You Had Five Goals!

by PragProb



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Jack Being an Asshole, M/M, NaNoWriMo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-11
Updated: 2017-11-10
Packaged: 2019-01-31 16:36:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12685863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PragProb/pseuds/PragProb
Summary: Rhys, the CEO, still a company man, still has a thing for Handsome Jack. Being only a hologram hasn't changed that. Neither has building Atlas from the ground up. He has the ability to get Jack a new body, but Tim holds all the keys to do so.5 Goals. That's all it will take.





	You Had Five Goals!

**Author's Note:**

> Tried NaNoWriMo for the first time. Trying 1000 a day. Lets see how long I keep this up.

Rhys was crying. Rhys was crying and it was kind of his fault. Only kind of because Tim didn't make Rhys to fall in love with a psychotic mastermind. He also didn't make him a manipulative asshole on top of that. The only thing he did was say no. At the rate they were going Tim had a feeling he would be saying no for a while. And that's what was eating at him.

 

Tim walked into Rhys' quarters and sat down on the bed next to him. "Rhys..." He wasn't sure what to say to him or how to help. "I'm sorry Rhys." He said while rubbing his back. That would work.

 

"No you're fine. You don't have to apologize. You were right to say no to him. He's such a fucking asshole." 

 

Tim let out a soft chuckle. "I'm glad we're on the same page with that. But at the same time I'm sorry you're in this position. It isn't easy on you I can tell. I bet it isn't easy on him either but he's been past the point of sympathy for a while."

 

Rhys let out a matching laugh. "I appreciate the sentiment. And you're right! He doesn't deserve sympathy and hasn't for a while. It's just... Fuck! Tim! I love him and yet I want to find the circuit board he's hosted on, find the moonshot cannon, rebuild it, and fire him into space!"

 

Tim busted out in laughter. "Yeah that sounds about right. I'd offer to go track down the remains of it for you but we both know you would chicken out. You know that's ok though right?"

 

All the anger in Rhys fizzled out. "Yeah. I know. The company couldn't afford the time or resources to do that."

 

"That's not what I meant." Tim said with an eye roll.

 

"I know Tim. I just want to be able to say I don't love him for a little bit. It might make me feel better."

 

Tim gave him a confused look. "You've never said that before. What happened?"

 

Rhys put his head in his hands and groaned. "It was the worst fight we've ever had. It started with 'I'm so much better! Why won't you make me real again?!' You know, the usual. Then it went down the usual path: 'Why don't you trust me?' 'You obviously don't want me to be real.' 'Does it feel good to keep me hostage?' Then he started in on you... He said that we must obviously be sleeping together. Why else are you on my staff. And then... he came up with this sick description of us having sex. So much horrible detail. He even took it so far to say that you were a fill in! A knock off to hold me over until he could get his hands on me! He's so disgusting! And rude! And manipulative!" By the end of the rant Rhys got himself so worked up he broke down crying again.

 

"Hey hey! Don't let it work you up again! He doesn't deserve your tears twice!" Tim said while grabbing him a tissue from his night stand. 

 

Rhys took a deep breath and wiped his eyes. "Fine, you're right." When he finished, he gave Tim an embarrassed look. "You know none of that is true right? You're an amazing employee and great friend. I would never think of putting you in that position. Especially after all the things he's done." To you. They both knew that's what Rhys meant. And even though he was a bit of a wreck, Rhys wouldn't mention any of it directly.

 

"Rhys you're fine. I may never forgive him but I trust you. You're pretty obvious with your intentions, you know that right?" He said with a soft smile.

 

Rhys laughed and gave Tim a soft shove. "Hey! honesty is important!"

 

"So is having a poker face! The whole 'heart on your sleeve' thing might be overrated, but you pretty much have yours tattooed there!"

 

"You're an ass Tim! I care about people 'Mr. I'm too shy to tell people how much I care about them'!"

 

"Hey! Low blow!" Tim was laughing too much to mean it.

 

After their joking died down, Rhys said softly "Jack would say this is why he thinks we sleep together."

 

"Rhys stop." Tim said with a firm voice. "Thinking like that is only going to make you suffer. There's no point in beating yourself up all over some pointed blows at you. Prove him wrong! Besides if he ever wants a real body he'll have to cut this shit out anyway."

 

Tim pause to look around. "Where is he anyway?"

 

Rhys looked at the ground in shame. "I locked him up in a combat simulation. I know it was a shitty thing to do, but I couldn't stand to be around him. At least this way he can work out his anger on things that don't have families."

 

"Rhys please stop beating yourself up over this. You've been in the right the whole time."

 

"That doesn't make it better. I'm sorry."

 

Tim didn't know what to say to that. He pulled Rhys into a one arm hug and hoped that it helped. When Rhys laid his head on his shoulder, he assumed it was the right thing to do.

 

They sat like that for a few minutes, enjoying each other's company, when Tim got up and announced. "Well that's enough feeling sorry for yourself. Go spoil yourself with some ice cream, take a bubble bath, and get a good night sleep. I'll come up with a plan for us tomorrow."

 

Rhys turned red and said, "I don't take bubble baths!"

 

"Rhys. I'm the head of security and also one of your friends. You think I don't know about you sneaking off during a bad day to have a bubble bath?" Tim said with a teasing lilt in his voice.

 

Rhys huffed and looked away. "That's it you're fired. Get out."

 

Tim left Rhys' room laughing his head off.

 

*******************************************************************

 

Rhys ended up doing exactly that, even though he was grumbling the whole time he ate his ice cream. One of the cafeteria workers asked if he was ok. He turned beet red and nodded. He didn't realize he was talking out loud.

 

The next day rolled around, with Tim and Rhys meeting in Rhys' office. They were both staring down at a pad of paper with a short list.

 

"Are you sure this will work?" Rhys asked with skepticism in his voice. 

 

"Nope. But if it does we'll know he can handle having a real body again."

 

"He's not going to like it."

 

"Well good thing he's not CEO anymore, Mr. CEO." Tim said with a cheeky grin.

 

"You're impossible. And ridiculous. And the best. Go away." Rhys said while laughing. 

 

"No can do! Who will save you from the train wreck that is yourself?" The grin never left his face.

 

"Wow! Is that any way to talk to your boss?"

 

"Seeing as most security threats originate from this room? Yes. I'm entitled to that opinion."

 

"You're such a jerk."

 

"But I’m right~!"

 

"Fine! You're right! Let's get Jack in here already!"

 

Tim's face hardened immediately. It was the face he put on whenever someone even mentioned a security threat. It was weird to see a face covered in freckles so serious. "Are you ready for this?"

 

"Nope. let’s do it. Felicity, let him out."

 

"Yes sir." Felicity's tinny voice flowed into the room. There was a tense pause in conversation as they waited for Jack to show up.

 

"I'm back bitches!" Jack always wanted to make an entrance. The blood probably helped. They had made several upgrades to the hologram system. One was that Jack could appear all throughout the building, with permission of course. He would be visible to everyone, too. Plus they got rid of that blue basic hologram look and overhauled it so Jack could look like his old self. He could even change his clothes, hair, accessories, etc.. They didn't plan for it to be used like this. Jack was soaked in blood, head to toe.

 

"I'm guessing you had fun in the combat simulation." Rhys said with a harsh frown. It wasn't a question. The answer was all over Jack.

 

"Of course I did! Didn't have much choice after you locked me in there." Jack sent a pointed glare at Rhys, who looked down in shame. Tim went to stand up to Rhys but got cut off by Jack. "And I'm sure you were there to comfort him, weren't you Tim Tams?"

 

"Jack shut up! You know that isn't true!" Rhys said, his face showing fury.

 

"I don't believe you!" Jack said in a sing song voice. "So who tops? Tim Tams is too much of a push over to dominate anyone so I bet it was you Rhysie. Did it feel good? You WERE holding out for me but I guess my knock off was good enough. Did you think of me with each thrust? Did you scream my name?"

 

"ENOUGH! Jack. Come here." Rhys was furious but looked calm and collected.

 

"Anything you want Rhysie boy!" Jack sauntered over to Rhys, his king shit aura filling the room.

 

"Switch over to my echo eye."

 

"Finally decided to give the real thing some attention? You know I can't tell you no." He said with a wink. A couple seconds later, Rhys felt him in his systems. Rhys' eye glowed for a second as he ran a program.

 

"Rhysie what was that?" Suspicion laced Jack's voice as he tried to search Rhys' system. He couldn't find anything, he had been locked out a while ago.

 

Rhys smirked and flexed his metal fingers until they settled into a fist. He reeled back as far as he could, and decked Jack right in the face. The strength of the punch was well translated as Jack was sent flying into the wall of the office. Jack tried to recover from the shock and the punch but Rhys was faster. He strode over to where Jack was laying, picked him up, and pinned him to the wall.

 

"Listen up Jack. This is your last fucking chance. If you don't cut this shit out now and smarten up, I will delete you." He pulled Jack off the wall just to shove him back into it again. "Just because I love you, for some stupid reason, doesn't mean I won't. I'm sure I can find someone else. I mean when I'm not running a company." Jack let out a growl.

 

"Rhys..." Tim let out as a warning. It caused Rhys to falter for a bit. But he didn't let go of Jack. He knew better. It didn't stop Jack from trying to hit him. Every time he did though, his hands went right through Rhys.

 

"I should probably explain your new upgrade huh? It solidifies you. Which means you can't float through walls and objects anymore. This will make you interact with the environment around you. I had it made so that it would be easier for you to adjust to a real body. But I decided you needed a lesson." Jack had been cut off several times while Rhys was explaining but he didn't care. Rhys went over to his desk and grabbed the pad. "Tim came up with a checklist for you to work through. If you complete all the tasks we'll make your body right away. But ONLY once they're all done."

 

Jack held his angry gaze for a little longer before he gave up on it. He gave them a slow clap. "Well color me surprised! You rarely get the drop on me Rhysie but you've outdone yourself this time! Fine I'll play your game. Maybe later we can do some hand to hand combat? That right hook was killer!" He pretended to spit out blood which made Tim roll his eyes but Rhys smile brightly.

 

"I might take you up on that. I know my arm is strong but I've never actually punched someone."

 

"I wanna be shocked Rhysie but I'm not. You're a big softie!" Jack said with a laugh. It wasn't malicious but Tim still frowned anyway.

 

"So what do I need to do?"

 

Rhys typed a command into his system and the list was projected onto his computer screen.

 

1\. No threatening to airlock someone for 6 months.  
2\. Give some motivational speeches to the company.  
3\. Cut back the combat simulations. One a month.   
4\. Go to therapy with Tim. Work out the problems you two have.  
5\. Head a project of your choice while also keeping moral at a decent level. 

 

As Jack finished reading over the list Rhys went up to him and put his hand on Jack's arm. "And a personal request. Please stop saying that Tim and I sleep together. It hurts..." Rhys said it quietly while looking away from Jack. Jack frowned, clearly not wanting to let this go. But he sighed and pulled Rhys into a hug. It didn't work until Rhys hugged back. 

 

"Fine. I know you wouldn't do that anyway. You're way too much of a fan boy to pass me up." Rhys rolled his eyes and let Jack have that one. Jack leaned in for a kiss but phased through Rhys' face, causing him to shudder. 

 

"So wait. Does that mean you have to initiate everything? I'm into it. Kiss me Rhysie." Rhys was more than happy to oblige. Tim made a gagging sound and walked out.

 

"Let us know if you want to join!" Jack said as Tim left. Rhys smacked Jack's chest. "Is now really the time for that kind of joke?"

 

"Yup!" Jack looked so proud. Rhys sighed and rolled his eyes.

 

"I guess this is progress."

 

*******************************************************************

 

Somewhere across the wastes a radio broadcast was playing.

 

"There’s rumors floating around the new Atlas base. Rumors of a hologram moving around the building. Apparently all the employees know it’s there and can't do anything about it. Heard that it terrorizes them while we work and the new CEO lets it happen. The scariest part of this whole thing is that the hologram is supposed to be Handsome Jack."


End file.
